Despite all its progress, humankind still has a long way to go. Slavery and kidnapping as a means of "business" is repulsive. Anybody who tries to rationalize terrorizing people as a legitimate business is subhuman, beyond despicable and disgusting.
There are numerous movies about kidnapping for ransom, perhaps most notably, well, Ransom, directed by Ron Howard, and I've showcased Trade about human sex trafficking.
While some movies about kidnapping are action thrillers for entertainment, Man on Fire takes a very gritty look at the kidnapping world. Adapted from a novel, Man of Fire from 2004 with Denzel Washington is a remake of a 1987 film with Scott Glenn that takes place in Italy instead of Latin America.
Director Tony Scott reunites with Denzel Washington (Crimson Tide) and Christopher Walken (True Romance) for the movie, and a very young Dakota Fanning plays the child Denzel's character is hired to protect. Remember Marc Anthony ("I Need To Know")? I was surprised to learn he was in the film and found him to be a superb actor. Radha Mitchell (Pitch Black) and Mickey Rourke round out the exceptional cast.
Unlike most other revenge flicks where audiences take delight in watching the bad guys get their asses kicked, in Man on Fire, there's also a heartfelt relationship and bond between the child and her alcoholic bodyguard. If you've followed my blog for a long time, you know I'm a huge fan of Tony Scott's work, and Man on Fire is one of his most underappreciated films.
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